Former President of Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf (Retd) passed away after a prolonged illness, at a hospital in Dubai on Sunday, at the age of 79, reported Pakistan's Geo News. He was suffering from multi-organ failure.
Musharraf, who ruled Pakistan from 1999 to 2008, was listed as a wanted person in connection with the deaths of Benazir Bhutto and a preacher at the Red Mosque. He was also accused of treason in 2014 after being prosecuted for suspending the Constitution in 2007 due to the declaration of an extra-constitutional emergency.
Musharraf faced assassination attempts multiple times
However, being known for carrying out many treacherous acts throughout his lifetime, he also made a lot of enemies around him. After being the President of Pakistan in 1999, he was tried to be assassinated multiple times during his tenure.
From suicide bombers to shots being fired on plane, miraculously, Musharraf managed to escape atleast four attempts of assassinations against him from the year 2002 to 2007.
In the first attempt, on April 2002, a remote-controlled car bomb was placed on Musharraf's routine travel route. Fortunately, the detonator failed and an attack on the former President was averted.
On 14 December 2003, a bomb exploded near Musharraf's farmhouse in Islamabad. The blast occurred around 20-25 minutes after Musharraf's car passed the exact spot. The bomb was reportedly placed in a drainage pipe next to the footpath, and caused a big crater when it went off.
Musharraf was attacked by suicide bombers
Just 12 days later, Musharraf was again targeted by two suicide bombers on December 26 2003. Two trucks laden with bombs were driven into the President's convoy. Each vehicle in the blast carried 40 kgs of explosives. At that time 16 people were killed including six policemen and four army soldiers, another 40 people were injured. Musharraf however escaped harm as he was in an armoured car.
Four years later, on 6 July 2007, shots were fired at Musharraf's plane during take-off. The aircraft was taking off from a military airfield in Rawalpindi. The plane then eventually safely landed in Turbat town.
He blamed low rank officers over assassination attempts
Out of rage over assassination attempts on self, in 2004, Musharraf reportedly blamed low-ranking Army and Air Force officers for allying with an Al Qaeda operative to take his life.
